Control
by TheFlame-Burned-OutButIt-Glows
Summary: Things were pretty damn simple. I was locked in a cell, I couldn't feel a thing, and I was stuck there until I was deemed 'mentally stable'... we all knew that wasn't going to happen. Until some god damn trickster from mythology decides to show and Fury wants me to join his little neighboorhood watch. Ugh, I should have just stayed in my cell.
1. Chapter 1

Sooo, this is actually a bit of a test run for me, if enough people read it I'll keep it going consistently… probably. I have problems updating regularly. *shrug* Just let me know what you all think~ Hope you enjoy.

I own nothing except for my Oc…. No matter how many times I wished upon a star for that to be different. T-T

…

_ "Move!" my dad screams in my ear, shoving me roughly for encouragement. People run past me, ranging from the doctors and employees that worked here to the ragged patients, fighting to get out alive. _

"_Please spare me! I did nothing wrong! PLEASE DON'T KILL-." BANG! Where are the police? A man screams. BANG! Someone help us! Someone save us please! A child cries out for their mother. BANG! BANG! Vomit raises father up my throat each time a bullet is fired and I can't open my mouth to respond to my dad in fear that I would start heaving it all out. BANG!_

"_Don't kill everyone you dumbass! Grab the healthy ones!" _

"_Ugh, that's no fun David, no fun at all." BANG! BANG! BANG! What is wrong with them? How can someone be so sick? Tears wind down my face silently and I look behind me for reassurance from my only living parent. I stop abruptly as I catch sight of him pushing through the crowd, towards the murders, his broad shoulders coiled like a spring. People shove past me, tumbling to get away. And then I'm running towards him furiously, dodging past everyone clumsily. He wouldn't live, they have guns and he's sick. What is he thinking? What the hell is he thinking? How can he leave me?! I finally collide with his back and I wrap my arms around his midriff. _

"_D-Dad?" I croak pitifully as we stand there, him protecting me from the crowd that is trickling down to the stragglers as I stare at his back. "Where ar-are you g-g-going?" The place descends into silence except for loud banging and shuffling around that is steadily coming closer. They're coming. "W-we hav-have to g-go." _

"_Get going, I have to slow them down," he states, the order unmistakable in his voice but I don't release him as a sob tears through me. _

"_I-I-I-I can-can't lo-lose you-you t-t-too!" I beg raggedly. _

_A shaky laugh rumbles through his chest but neither of us misses the hitch in his throat. "Ha! Like you could lose me so easily, I'll be right behind you. I'll see you later. Get going short stack." False assurance. I hate those things. And I still grab onto this one like a life line. _

"_Prom-p-promise?" I sniffle, relaxing slightly._

"_Promise." I start to unwind my arms slowly. _

"_How sweet is that?" I'm pushed away and I stumble to my feet in the other direction, pumping my feet to get away. Run. Run. They're coming. Wait, where's Dad? I slow down and turn my head, looking for a single gl-._

_BANG!_

…

_ Cold. _

"_Concentrate T-9. You only have to accomplish this task and then you are done training," the man's voice says, his voice mechanical as it filters through the speakers and I take in a shaky breath. Tears stream down my face, one side sizzling and the other freezing._

_ "It h-h-hurts," I choke out, fire burning my chest even as my fingers turn blue. A pulsating headache tears through me and a scream of agony comes out of my throat garbled._

_ "Come now T-9, you didn't survive the experiment just to give up now did you?" he sounds condescending now and a hint of disappointment colors it, making anger surge through me past the agony._

_ Hot._

_ How dare he sound like that? If he sounds disappointed that means he had to care even if only so marginally that he just wants to see his precious little project succeed. No. "I-I ha-hate y-yo-y-you," I spit, grinding my teeth painfully against the conflicting temperatures. _

_ A chuckle filters through. "No need to be so hostile my dear." I hate him so much. Who knows how long I've been in this God forsaken place and I've only hears his voice, seen him…. only him. I hate him so much. "Back to the task T-9, you just need to control it, harness your gift." Gift? I hate this 'gift'. You can take it back and shove it up your ass. Disobedience occurs to me but fear of the punishment cubs the desire easily. One time is enough. _

_ So I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying to focus through the pain and just __**feel**__. It sounds strange but whenever the torture going on inside me abated enough to where I could focus I would… test it almost, like a person prodding at a particularly bad bruise. And then promptly rolled back over and let out a scream of agony. They figured out what I was doing and he tried to explain it to me. From how he said, it sounds tangible… so why not try to make it tangible? __**Reach**__._

_ Cold. Hot._

_ Burning. Scalding. _

_ Both total opposites warring inside my body, eternal enemies that never stop battling one another. __**Reach**__. A wave of temperatures, different extremes, rolls over me and I writhe in agony. _

_ It makes me feel like a ragdoll stuck between two children, both wrestling for control… two very strong and violent children… God I need help. _

_ A deep shuddering breath leaves me as another wave of pain rolls over me. Or was it a scream? I can't tell anymore. It hurts too much. I can't focus at all anymore .I feel so close… I just need to reach a little closer. I reach out blindly towards the source of agony._

_ It gets worse, heat and coolness assaulting me brutally as I get closer to his goal. Touch. It disappears… and I have nowhere else to reach. A flash._

_ Two faces. Gone._

_ Feel._

_ Awareness._

_**Feel**__._

_ Pinpricks of awareness, like needles touching my skin but so much lighter and numerous than you can imagine. They're everywhere. Covering me, smothering me without me even knowing, all of them bouncing around. Inside me. Everywhere. They're everywhere. Suffoca-_

_ Flash. Gone._

_ It's back._

_ "-an't! She isn't re- wait, she's coming around. Can you hear me?" Why is everything black? I lash out blindly. Something catches my hand and sets it down gently. Pain overwhelms me and I scream, the temperature jumping up and down around me. How do I know that? Something nestles in the corner of my consciousness and I focus on it single mindedly, trying to block out the pain. Yeah, like that works. I can feel the temperature, inside me, warm… cold… both of them inside me and connecting to my surroundings. It's bouncing around quickly, sending me into shock at its abruptness. "She's becoming unstable… No sir, we can still help her!"_

_ Who's there? It isn't him. It's a man but I've never heard his voice before. Who is he?_

_ Color._

_ Blue. Red. _

_ Twisting, pushing, and fighting another. Writhing through the air and bouncing off of the walls, touching yet never mixing; only consuming._

_ Help me. It hurts. They're too much. Their intensity causes a pounding headache to start up again in my temple._

_ Struggling for control. _

_ "Hello, I'm Agent Coulson, can you hear me?"_

_ So much color. Red. Blue. Too much-. Stop. Focus. What did the man say?_

_ "Y-y-yes." Is that me?_

_ "Good good, can you see me?" _

_ The colors surge and I cry out, cradling my head against the agony. "N-no, every-… red an-a-and blu-blue. It's to-too muc-much c-color. Too much." The temperature fluctuates again and the colors shift in response rapidly, a blur in my vision. Agent Coulson mutters a few curses. _

_ "Hey hey, it's okay, calm down." Okay? You call this okay?! I'm not okay! It hurts! I'm not okay!_

_ Pull. Shove. Grasp. __**Consume**__._

_ "Can you tell me your name?_

_ Name? Who am I? It hurts. What am I? The headache intensifies and I cringe. What's my name? Who am I?!_

_ Run. Attack. Push. Surge. Collie. _

_ Red. Blue. _

_ "Shh." A hand touches my head and I gasp at how cold it is. __**Red**__. It recoils and I whimper, don't leave me. Help me please. I'm begging you. "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry." The hand returns._

_ Push. Attack. Intruder. C-_

_ "What's your name?" He sounds strained. I don't want him hurt. The colors whirl. Who am I?_

_ Blue. Red._

_ Twisting, fightin-_

_ "S-s-s…Sara-Sarah."_

_ Retreat. _

_ A breathless, relieved chuckle. "Nice to meet you Sarah."_

_ Surge. Take it back._

_ No, stop. Make it stop._

_ "Now Sarah do you think that you could do something for me?"_

_ "Wh-what?"_

_ "You can control the temperature and I need you to relax and return it to normal."_

_ Me? No, it hurts. I can't do this._

_ Red. Blue. _

_ "You can do this Sarah. I know it hurts but if you don't return it back to normal you're going to kill everyone in the building." _

_ Everyone? But they're the ones that did this to me…. It's his fault. They killed my dad. "I-I don-don't care abou-about them." I want to show them the same mercy they did to me. I hate them. I hate him. I'll kill him. I'll do it._

_ Red. Blue. _

_ They prod at me gently and I relax slightly, welcoming the strange mental embrace._

_ "Okay then, what about me? What about you? You don't want us to die too do you?" _

_ No… I don't want you to die. I wouldn't die though. I know I wouldn't die, they wouldn't let me die. Wait… who's they? I don't want you to die…. I won't let you die. _

_ Concentrate._

_ Red. Blue. Sending spirals of color at one another, trying to demolish their opponent. _

_ Control…stop…mix._

_ A flash of purple._

_ Attack. _

_ Agony. _

_ The red and blue bury the purple, trying to eat it whole. _

_ Mix. The red and blue surrounding me runs out quickly, going towards it's opposite. _

_ Control. Calm down. The colors prod at the air gently, slowly spreading throughout the room._

_ Color._

_ "You did it Sarah, good job." I look towards the source of the voice, the colors becoming more defined by the second._

_ Flash._

_ Red. Blue. Surrounding me and spiraling towards the myriad body of color. What is it? Wait, that's where Agent Coulson was. No! Stop! They color recoil and snap back at me, sending waves of agony over me again. Flash._

_ I scream. "Get her evacuated and get a medic!"_

_ Black. _

…

The mechanical hiss of my breath is the only sound in the room besides the quiet beeping of the thermal cameras watching me. Panic nudges me at the edge of my consciousness, always present as long as no feeling registers in my brain. I've been stuck like this for…. Uh a long time. I don't really remember the exact date I was put in here since I was in a coma for a while according to the janitor. The cell was small and plain, with a military issue bed pushed against the reflective wall and that was it besides the white tile floor. I despise this room. One day, I'll demolish this room, burn it to-. Deep breath. No need to lose control again, it hasn't happened in a while and I won't break that streak. Who's tracking it though?

A drawn out hiss emits from the device strapped to my face, pulling my gaze to the wall in front of me as I watch with dull interest as a thick blue fluid streams through the tubes to be administered into my mouth. At least I don't feel like I'm drugged. I stare at my reflection to see how much I've changed, not much since I look every day. Long brown hair with caramel highlights trails to my waist, a mess of rats nests and tangles since they won't let me near a hair brush let alone a straightener, hell I'm lucky I get to bathe every once in a while. My wide, deep green eyes are surrounded by dark bags and my skin is unnaturally pale. Freckles are splashed across my small, slightly hooked nose and spread onto my cheeks. A ragged scar stretches from my left cheek bone up to my hairline, the skin puffy and discolored. A metal mask wraps around my mouth like a muzzle, hiding my lower face from view, and rises upwards as it moves backwards, covering most of the back of my head. Tubes run along from the small containers in the back that they refill everyday into my mouth, one on each side.

I shift habitually and panic rushes in as I see it happen but don't feel it. I watch myself in the wall carefully for a few minutes to make sure that my balance hasn't been compromised at all and then focus on slowing my breathing down, which had risen to an ungodly pace in my observation. Calm down. It isn't like anything bad is happening. Yeah, I'm only locked up in solitary confinement and I can't feel a damn thing….. No big deal. My heart rate doesn't slow down and I painfully force my chest to adapt an even pace. Good pep talk. It works wonders. The panic retreats slowly and I gasp raggedly, trying (and failing) to gain some composure. Look, you aren't hurt-.

Like I would know if I was.

God damnit, I need to calm the hell down! Panicking like a little girl doesn't help shit! Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Count backward from ten if that helps.

I doubt I could manage to do it if I tried.

A snarl twists my lips but it drops into a neutral expression as the mechanical door suddenly slides open noisily. I drop my head so that I'm looking at the mussed sheets of my bed, sliding my eyes shut languidly. "If you're another psychologist that's come to evaluate my mental stability I can tell you it doesn't exist so get the fuck out," I inform them darkly. That's where I lost the past couple ones.

"Not quite."

I open my eyes in surprise and snap my head up to look at the owner of the voice. "It's been a while Agent Coulson," I greet cautiously, watching my mentor carefully as he walks closer. I haven't seen him since before I was in a coma.

A tired and slightly guilty chuckle bursts from him and he spreads his hands apologetically. "It had been a long time…Sorry for not visiting you sooner."

Simmering anger bubble up in me and I snap, "Just tell me what Fury wants Coulson, a dog doesn't go anywhere without its masters command." I don't hate Phil no matter how much I want to. The man had saved me from the bastards that experimented on me and taught me nearly everything I know, not to mention he resembles my father a lot. But right now, I'm lashing out at him because he hurt me…. He might as well have abandoned me how I see it. And he's getting my most bitter reaction from it.

"I came to ask for a favor," he says, unperturbed by my barb and eyeing me with pity and regret.

A snort escapes me despite the mask and I retort with an audible sneer, "You finally decide to see your dear ole student and you came to ask for a favor!?" This guy has some serious guts.

"Yes and it might just get you out of here and that mask taken off."

My eyes narrow at him and my whole body relaxes. A lazy, maniacal drawl enters my tone and I prompt, "I'm listening."


	2. Good To Be Back

So, I was wondering if you guys wanted chapters about this length or longer ones that take longer to make *shrug* let me know. Thanks for any favorites, alerts, and reviews! I'll start actually responding now... yeah I suck at things like that. Hope you all like it R&R~!

I own nothing except for my Oc. Life sucks for me. -.-

...

A humorless smile curls up his lips, maybe even a tad relieved. "Things have happened since you've been confined Sarah, not all of them good."

"Really, 'cause I thought that the whole world was a ball of sunshine Coulson," I comment sarcastically, rolling my eyes easily. "Get to the point; I don't need you to sweeten things up for me." If anything, it only makes me pissed off. I'm far past the point of coddling, even with my lack of mental stability.

"People from different worlds have visited us Sarah, some of them familiar to Earth," he continues vaguely and I narrow my eyes at him.

I huff and ask incredulously, "You need my help to fight off _aliens_? What is this, some sort of cheesy Sci-Fi novel?" What does he mean by familiar though?

His jaw tightens and I see the common symptoms of irritation starting to show up in his stance, making a predatory smile edge at my mouth. Who knew I was annoying enough to bother even a trained agent? "This isn't something to take lightly Sarah. Asgardians have shown themselves to us, some of them straight out of Norse mythology. This will be the second time that-."

"Do you mean people like Loki and Thor?" I inquire calmly, mocking him subtly. I'm probably too close to the line where he just leaves me here but this is just too much fun! He's so easy to play with I can't resist the ample opportunities he offers!

"Yes, there was an incident in New Mexico where Thor landed, along with his hammer. By the time he had returned to his world we had half a small town destroyed and a new scientist researching the Tesseract," Phil explains and I purse my lips at the unfamiliar term.

"What does this… 'tesseract' have to do with anything?"

"It's an energy source," he explains. "That we're still trying to tap into." An energy source? That doesn't sound like S.H.I.E.L.D. handiwork… they fit more into military advancements, what are they hiding? "Loki, Thor's brother, recently came back to Earth and destroyed the lab that it was housed in, taking Agent Barton and Dr. Selvig with him."

"So mythology's signature trickster pretty much got himself his own supply of steroids for magicians," I deadpan. With how this is sounding this is a problem that normal people can't take care of, is that why he needs me?

"We don't know what he's planning to do with it yet. But to be able to counteract this threat we need people with powers no one else has… that's why we're putting the Avengers Initiative into action." I see myself tense up and a low growl rumbles in my throat, my teeth bared into a snarl.

"That sounds like a team," I snap and he nods. "No. I don't do teams Coulson! I won't be around a bunch of your own freaks bundled into a special little neighborhood watch!"

He heaves a deep sigh and spreads his hands in a calming gesture. "The Avengers are a group of Earth's mightiest heroes, all of them fighting together to save the Earth whenever we need them."

"I'm not a hero!" I yell angrily, my chest heaving.

He gestures to me earnestly and nearly begs, "You can turn into one Sarah, it isn't too late for you to redeem your-."

I sneer at him condescendingly. "Ever the idealist Coulson. Has it ever occurred to you that I don't want to 'redeem' myself? That I'm perfectly fine with what I've done?"

He stares at me silently before answering simply, "I know that you aren't okay with being a killer, that isn't who you are. You can make things better Sarah; all you need to do is join the Avengers. There are going to be good people on that team… people that can help you. People that understand."

"No one understands!" I roar, fixing a cold glare on my old misguided mentor. A buzzing fills my head but I ignore the dangerous implications and actions that follow it. "Do any of them have the same power as me? Does any of them know what it feels like to be stuck dealing and trying to control two opposites inside their head?! Has any of them lost themselves in the sheer intensity of their ability?! My power is so different than you would think," I finish, my eyes flashing dangerously.

"What are you talking about?" Phil asks, eyeing me with trepidation and I feel satisfaction at the emotions I make rise.

The maniacal drawl has taken over my voice again and I relax, gazing at Phil hungrily. My vision flashes into hues of blue, red, and purple mixing in the air. "I can see them Coulson. They're everywhere. And I control them too." A laugh bubbles up in my throat and I throw my head back to accommodate it, relishing in Phil taking a few steps back.

An alarm starts up and Phil's eyes dart around the room. "Whatever you are doing Sarah stop it! This isn't you!"

"AGENT COULSON YOU NEED TO EVACUATE, SHE IS SOMEHOW STILL USING HER POWERS! SHE COULD KILL YOU!" a voice booms through the speakers and I level my eyes on my mentor.

"What is going on Sarah?!" he yells desperately at me.

"You don't know me at all Phil. Everyone assumed that just because they took away my feeling; they thought that I couldn't use my power. No, you guys just took away any control I had over it," I purr, the buzzing in my head rising into a crescendo. A headache throbs in my head, pounding in time along with the alarm.

"WE ARE ORDERING YOU TO EVACUATE AGENT COULSON!"

"What are you going to do?" I ask, glaring at Phil. "Do you still want me on Fury's little team?"

The air fogs up and frost creeps around the room, spreading its designs along the walls like a cancer. Phil eyes it fearfully and then looks at me, shaking his head before bolting out of the room, the door hissing shut just as the frost reaches the mechanisms.

I snarl in frustration and I know a gas leaks into the room, making my vision start to blur. No, I won't fall unconscious! I won't! I struggle to keep my eyes open but they feel like lead, slowly growing heavier. I will not lose to them! I hate them! I hate him! I'll kill him!

…

"No, we do not need to administer another dosage of the medicine, she has proven that it is nearly useless for her anyways," a calm voice advises and I open my eyes blearily. A few figures stand in front of me and I shake my head firmly to somehow focus my vision. Bad mistake. It worsens and nausea starts to assault me, making a groan emit from my lips. "Just take off the mask." Someone fumbles with something heavy around my head and it unlatches loudly, the locks clicking open. Fresh air reaches my lips and I gulp it in with harsh gasps. It's gone. It's off. I can feel! Tears start to fill up my eyes but I keep them from dropping down my cheeks, I can't let them see me like this. I have to be strong.

Joy is my main emotion and a small, satisfied smile alights on my lips. I close my eyes in pure relief and then bring my head up from its bent position, the nausea mostly gone. I open my eyes to see Director Nick Fury himself along with two others, one of them familiar. You guessed it, Agent Phil Coulson. The other one looks like he's from the science division. He holds the damn mask in his hands, setting into the case easily but he glances at me out of the corner of his eyes.

"What brings you here Fury…. With guests," I add, sliding my gaze past everyone before setting it on Coulson. "I didn't think you would set foot in my humble home again," I direct at him.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," he answers easily and smiles at me, caution still in his eyes. I clench my jaw and look back at Fury, prompting him to speak.

"We've come to release you." I narrow my eyes.

"Cut the bullshit, you wouldn't let me go even if you wanted to Fury," I snap, my earlier joy dwarfed by suspicion. "What do you want? It has to be important if you denied coming yourself."

"You're going to become part of the Avengers," he responds. "You need to be let out of your cell to do that," he continues slowly, as if speaking to a child. Asshole.

I gnash my teeth together and flex my hand. Straps trap me into a chair and I glare at the one wrapping around my wrist. Figures. I retort, "I never said that I was going to be part of the Avengers."

"I'm not asking," he snaps back, his eye narrowing at me in irritation. "This is your chance for you to save the Earth. You know that thing you signed up to do."

The jab does nothing but make me roll my eyes. "It's obvious I'm… different from how I used to be when I first started training as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent."

Phil butts in confidently, "That doesn't change the fact that you're going to help us."

"What makes you so sure?" I challenge, leaning forward slightly.

Fury takes over again, his single eye narrowing at me. "You're a lot of things Gales but you aren't one to let some alien take over the world."

"How do we know that? What if we let her out there and she helps Loki instead of us?" the scientist interjects. My eyebrow twitches, it's like I'm not even here.

"She wouldn't," Phil argues.

"Will you all stop talking about me like I'm not here?" I snap, taking a deep breath and rubbing my temples slightly.

"This whole time she's had a chance to attack us, the ones that she should hate since we locked her up, but she hasn't," Phil points out and a dangerous smirk lights up my face.

I chuckle and everyone turns to look at me, their expressions ranging from perturbed (Coulson) to disturbed (scientist). "Oh I do hate you. I hate you all so much. But I'm not going to attack you in here, that's too easy. I'll get revenge at some point."

"You see! We shouldn't let someone so unstable out into the public!" the scientist yells and I focus on him. He has a point, I shouldn't be let out. Fury must be really desperate if he's willing to recruit me.

"If I had a choice I wouldn't! I would let her rot in here!" Fury snaps back and then takes a deep breath to calm himself. "Loki is unlike anything we have faced before. We need heroes to fight him and I've created a team. She will be on it, no matter what anyone else wants. Go back to the lab, you're done here."

The scientist snaps his mouth shut and storms out stiffly. "Nice meeting you," I call to his back cheekily and he whirls back, glaring at me fiercely. I just laugh in response and wave at him enthusiastically. The door shuts behind him as he suddenly speeds up to get out. My gaze shifts back to Fury and Coulson. "I don't have a choice do I," I state monotonously.

"You do. You could stay in here and rot for the rest of your life," Fury says conversationally. How charming. "Or, you could get out into the world for once and actually help people."

"What about after this whole thing goes down? If we do live through it and beat Loki, would you try to lock me up again?" I ask, honestly dreading that. I don't know if I would get away, I would only be able to affect the temperature for so long before I pass out and they catch me. Besides, where would I go? I won't just go willingly back into this cage. If that does happen though, you can be damn well sure that I'll take some people down with me.

Fury looks at me evenly and then lets out a resigned sigh. "Depending on your performance and behavior in the outside world, we may consider… letting you travel to a remote location where you would be monitored. You wouldn't be locked up in a cell anymore and we would keep our distance as long as you live like a normal human being," he answers.

I purse my lips and clench my hands loosely into fists. I don't want to be on the Avengers at all but if it gets me out of here….. "Fine, I'll do it."

Coulson smiles at me, "Let's get out of here then."

…

"You kept me in the middle of a desert," I deadpan, eyeing the flat, dry landscape with distaste. God I hate these kinds of places. Sweltering during the day and then freezing at night. As a kid I always said it was hypocritical to not be able to decide what climate it wants to be. Now it just reminds me of my current predicament way too much.

"It was isolated and you have the least chance of surviving in this area. No one else lives within four hundred miles and food is sparse," Fury explains easily, as if I wasn't the one he was talking about. I twitch.

"You make it sound like I was some sort of rabid animal," I comment dryly, sending a slight glare his way.

He eyes me evenly as he answers, "You might as well have been. You might still be now. I'm taking a risk Gales, and you better prove that I wasn't wrong in taking it." Anger churns in my gut but I try to suppress it, merely tensing my jaw.

"I don't have to prove **anything** to you," I bite out furiously, my lips twisted into a snarl. "I just don't want to be forced to watch how I breathe just in case I fall over."

"Watch your mouth. I can lock you back up any time I want you too," he reminds me dangerously, his eyes flashing.

"I would like to see you try."

Breathe.

I blink and his fist is flashing towards me. I duck frantically but it still clips the top of my head and I fall on my butt into the sand. I growl and increase the temperature, making the already uncomfortable temperature unbearable for them. "Bastard," I spit, glaring at Fury dangerously. My vision flashes into something similar to infrared and I have a sudden burning desire to even out the temperature in everything, until it's all the same. My body shakes and I'm dimly aware of the sound of my ragged breathing. A body of heat moves towards me but the one closer holds out his hand in an obvious signal to wait.

Blue surrounds me to protect me from the dangerous temperatures but I can still feel the red, attached yet spread out in the air. They're…. inside me. The strange notion makes disgust build and I suddenly feel_ violated_. I want them to be gone. Make it go away. Make it the same.

Stop. I relax the hold I have on my scalp, just becoming aware of the painful sensation of my nails digging into my skull. This is fine. Everything is normal. It's fine. Everything is supposed to be like this. Just... calm down. Breathe.

I won't let myself lose control. Breathe. Let it go. Bring it back.

The temperature lowers until its back at its normal rate and the red curls back towards me, the blue following once it becomes close enough.

Two different presences brush against my consciousness, as if assuring me that they exist before backing down.

"Good job," Fury suddenly congratulates and I look back up at him, my sight returned to normal.

My jaw nearly unhinged before snapping shut with nearly jarring force. I grind out slowly, "You were testing me." That damn asshole was making sure I wouldn't snap! Pure malice emitted from me along with hate, the emotions almost visible around me.

"I did," he answers simply, as if there was nothing wrong with that. "You didn't really think that I would let you go out into public without knowing that you had some amount of control did you?"

"I could have killed both of you. What would you have done then?" I snap, flexing my jaw.

"But you didn't," Phil responds with a small smile. "Come on, we better hurry get moving if we want to get back to base soon."

"I don't want to hurry," I quip bitingly, anger still simmering but slowly grouping together. Retreating but not dispersing. I'll kill them one day.

"You could always go back into your cell instead of leaving," Fury suggests. I stay silent and he nods before turning around sharply and leading me around the dull gray facility that had been my personal hell for who knows how long. The whir of a chopper slowly starts up and I eye the helicopter with wariness, I've never liked flying that much. I enter it gingerly and Phil eyes me with amusement.

"Still haven't gotten over your hate of flying," he comments uselessly.

"Thanks Captain Obvious. Sorry I haven't had the chance, helicopters just weren't made cell sized," I quip back, some of the bite that I had before leaving my tone.

"We'll get there in a few hours so I suggest that you get some sleep," Fury informs me and I nod, still not closing my eyes. I just look out of the helicopter at the ground below us, wishing I was standing on it.

…

I jump out of the helicopter happily and onto the ship, barely containing my joyful shriek. "Finally something more my style," I comment happily, grinning at the sight of the waves.

"You can't stand flying but you're perfectly fine with the ocean?" Coulson asks, a perturbed expression taking over his features.  
I shrug easily. "I just don't like the idea that I'm in a metal case that is holding me up a few thousand feet up in the air because of metal propellers." He merely shakes his head at me and leads me into the ship before taking off in another direction.

"You're going to be staying with me," Fury informs me coolly and I roll my eyes.

"If you wanted to be around me more Fury, you could have just asked," I taunt and if he ever showed any emotion besides annoyance, I'm pretty sure he would have looked mildly disturbed.

The door shuts behind me and I watch the large room filled with agents all doing their work with interest. The temperatures are nearly overwhelming in the sheer variation of it and I rub my temples in an attempt to alleviate the pain starting to build up. This is what happens when you aren't around people for a while. How long was I in there?

"How long was I in my cell?" I ask Fury loudly, making a few agents eye me warily and create a wide berth around me. I suppress a chuckle; people are so easy to scare.

"Six and a half years, counting the time that you were unconscious," he answers impassively and I hum in acknowledgement. That long… I probably should feel surprised but it felt like longer, even though I know that it couldn't have been more than a few years.

"Ugh, that's a long time to be in the same position," I mutter. I add louder, "Whatever, as long as I'm out."

"You are going to stay here and you are going to stay out of trouble until I tell you to move. Got it?" Fury commands and I roll my eyes.

I respond lazily, "Whatever you say, _Director_." He turns around and I waltz over to the long briefing table. I settle into one of the seats easily and hum in content, turning so that I can watch everyone. My vision switches and hues of red and blue fill my vision, purple mixing in. A cold smirk curls up my lips. It's good to be back.


	3. Slick

So I was debating whether or not to have Sarah be genius. It's a hard thing to decide because I wanted to make her as realistic as possible but I feel like she at least had to be intelligent to control her powers. Oh by the way! Just in case anyone is confused about the scientific side of her powers, I'm going to explain that in a few chapters. Back on original topic, I'm finally like, why the hell not?! She won't be Tony Stark or Bruce Banner brilliant but she'll be smarter than the average person.

Another thing, I don't' actually own a copy of the movie since someone *cough* damn cousin *cough* broke it. So I'm using a script and I don't know how accurate it is. Please excuse any mistakes.

My chest of cool things I own does not contain The Avengers sadly.

….

I hum a cheery tune softly, swinging my foot in time with the beat that accompanies it. I use my interlocked hands as a cushion for my head and my chair is leaning back so that I can put my crossed legs up on the long table. My bored eyes trail over everything, watching the same people for about five hours straight gets a little tiring, everyone is just running around their business with Agent Hill barking orders like a drill sergeant. Fury wouldn't give me any information on the team for some strange reason so I've had barely anything to do except read a book on Norse Mythology. I'm still not physically tired, my attention span is just crying out for something else to occupy it. Eh, at least I'm new to all of the temperatures now.

I switch my vision and send out a lick of red, the temperature increasing in just that one area.

A rumble starts up in reply and I tense up, swinging into a defensive position habitually. Some things you learn just don't leave you. I shake my head to focus back on the strange noise and my narrowed eyes take in everyone acting normally. "Spooked?" Fury asks from his platform and I face him slowly. That conniving bastard knew this was going to happen. Speaking of, what the hell is happening?

I snort derisively, "Yeah right." A knowing glint is in his eyes though; he probably noticed that I still haven't relaxed yet. I look out of the windows and twitch. Are we…. Flying? Oh no. No. He did not. "You didn't tell me this _ship_ could fly," I state.

"Must have slipped my mind," he responds mildly.

"Slipped your mind my ass," I mutter, settling back into my previous position as the door slides open to admit more people. I look at them calmly, and then do a mental spit take. The two men accompanying the red head look like civilians. What the hell are civilians doing here?! Wait, they can't be if they're associated with S.H.E.I.L.D. What are they then?

"We're at level sir," Agent Hill informs Fury and I drag my attention over to them. Fury casts me a glance, almost looking smug.

"Good. Let's vanish," he commands and I raise my eyebrow. 'Let's vanish'? Really, how much cornier can he get? Wait…. Vanish? This thing can turn invisible?! How would it be able to manage that... maybe they graphed an image of the sky onto the metal frame. Wouldn't they need LED panels for the bottom of the ship then though? Custom made would probably make the most sense so that they could withstand the ocean water and then any defenses I know Fury would have added on….

I shake my head and look towards the visitors again, just catching the blonde one handing Fury a bill. I raise my eyebrow as Fury stows it away somewhere, extending his hand to the older man behind the blonde. The man shakes his hand back hesitantly and I chuckle in amusement. He reminds me of a mouse cornered by a cat. "Doctor, thanks for coming," Fury greets. Oh, the guy has a title.

Doctor avoids eye contact, his eyes darting around nervously. A little jumpy much? "Thanks for asking nicely. So, uh…how long am I staying?" He asks wryly and I smirk. Preaching to the choir my friend, preaching to the choir. Funny cause I'm not religious.

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the wind," Fury assures him and I barely hold in the longing sigh. Well… honestly I wouldn't really be in the wind. I would be planning some gruesome way to enact revenge but hey, details details.

"Where are you with that?" Doctor asks, turning to look at the screens distractedly. I move close to the bunch to hear better, curiosity getting the better of me. Coulson's explanation of the Tesseract was vague at best and I want to know more about it, even if I have to be closer to Fury to get that information.

"We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible on the planet," Coulson interrupts and my eyes slide over to him. "Cellphones, laptops, etcetera. If it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us."

"That's still not gonna find them in time," the red head speaks up and I look over at her, studying her muscular and curvaceous body. She looks like an agent. Her cool confidence does nothing to dispute the fact along with her stunning looks.

"Gales?" Fury questions while turning towards me, making everyone look at me in turn. Oh goody.

I hum in thought and respond, "Foxy over there is right. Loki sounds prepared…. This attack isn't going to take long to initiate. You really need to narrow the field down. Ask Doctor boy over there how. I have no idea." Doctor looks mildly confused at the nickname and I laugh slightly.

"How many spectrometers do you have access to?" Doctor asks once Fury turns back to him, the attention of everyone following it.

"How many are there?" Fury asks back smugly and I roll my eyes.

"Call every lab you know, tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm based on cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?" Doctor rambles on and I blink many times in confusion. I understood just enough of that to make it even more confusing than if I didn't understand any of it. Ugh. Fury nods in assent, gesturing for someone else to do as the guy said.

"Do you have somewhere for me to work?" Doctor asks and I perk up. He most likely means a lab and that means many interesting things that I may or may not understand. That would beat being around Fury. He's about as exciting as a stone.

"Agent Romanoff," Fury says and Foxy looks at him. "Could you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory please?" I start to get up but Fury stops me with a heated death glare. I gnash my teeth and pout childishly, returning back to my chair.

"You're gonna love it, Doc," Romanoff states as she leads him away. "We've got all of the toys." I groan loudly and place my forehead on the table. Rub it in my face why don't you?

"Missing your cell Gales?" Fury calls.

"Yes," I answer simply.

"Want to go back then?"

I look up at the bald man with a sharp glare. "Hell no. I just want to get something done instead of sitting here waiting."

Fury chuckles with dark amusement and answers, "Well you have a few more hours to wait."

Sadistic bastard. I'm pretty sure he only takes joy from my pain.

…

I open my eyes blearily and stretch out, stirring from my dozing state by voices. "I mean, if it's not too much trouble," Phil says to the blonde man and I raise my eyebrow at the air around him that screams 'I'm around my hero!' Who is blonde? I don't know of any men this young that Phil looks up to.

"No, no," the guy responds cordially and I venture closer, intent on finding out who this guy is, and somehow end up nearly next to Fury. "It's no trouble really."

"It's a vintage set. It took me years to collect them all," Agent Coulson continues eagerly and I blink continuously. Wait. I know that set. That's the Captain America set, it's his most prized collection. This guy is Captain America? Huh, who knew that the rumors that he somehow survived was true.

Steve, as I now know him to be, nods distractedly and I feel a bit of pity for the guy. Coulson can't seem to stop staring at the guy in adoration.

"Near mint," he adds. I roll my eyes. "Foxing around the edges but-."

"We got a hit!" an agent calls and I nearly whoop in excitement. Coulson turns to him along with Rogers. "A sixty-seven percent match." Ooo, things are getting interesting.

"Wait!" another one calls and an ecstatic grin stretches across my lips. "Cross-match seventy-nine percent."

"Location?" Phil asks.

The agent clicks away and I tap my foot impatiently, Fury sending me a glare to silence me. "Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse," the agent answers.

"He's not exactly hiding," Cap'n comments. Okay, I'm having too much fun with the whole name thing. I raise my eyebrow once the comment registers. Does everyone have a flair for the dramatic around here?

"Captain," Fury calls to him from his platform. "You're up." Rogers heads out hurriedly, probably to suit up.

I bite my lip nervously and ask, "Can I go too, Director?" I inwardly curse the way it sounded as soon as it came out. Ugh, I'm falling back into old habits.

He eyes me evenly and I put on an innocent expression. Come on come one come on! I know I sound like a child but I've been cooped up into a building for over six years! I need some action. "No killing," he orders, his voice brooking no argument.

I shrug easily.

A drawn out and hesitant sigh escapes him and he nods. I grin widely. "You'll find a suit down the hallway, two doors on the right."

I salute mockingly and walk hurriedly in the directions he gave. Finally, I'll be able to do something.

The room is small and contains bare necessities: a bed, a small dresser, and a door that probably led to a bathroom. "I had a bed this whole time!" I yell in outrage. The sack on the bed catches my attention and I open it, pulling out the suit.

"Oh hell yeah….," I murmur.

…

The agent that led me to the Quinjet fled away hurriedly and I tut quietly under my breath. I turn around and Foxy eyes me warily, analyzing me as she looks me up and down. "Fury let you come?" she asks, the slight surprise obvious in her tone.

"Yep," I say, popping the 'p' obnoxiously. "As long as I behave, I'm free to go." She nods in acceptance and walks into the cockpit.

Rogers holds out his hand cordially. "Steve Rogers Ma'am," he introduces himself and I grin at him.

"I'm Sarah Gales," I respond, shaking his hand firmly before letting it drop. "Nice to you meet you I guess." He raises his eyebrow at me but I just shrug and waltz into the Quinjet, my small grin falling into a disgruntled frown. "Why does everything have to fly around here?" I mutter, settling into one of the seats sullenly.

"Ma'am, if you don't mind me asking, are you a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent?" Steve asks politely and I shift my gaze over to him. I'm not surprised he thought that, I'm wearing a suit identical to theirs with a few alterations. It was a bit of a looser fit, still slightly clingy but not enough to where it stuck to my skin. The pants we're more like slacks, the material thick and stiff…. It can probably stand extreme temperatures or something. I wear sturdy boots and my hair is let down. I'm pretty sure that I look awful, with my hair being a rat's nest and my skin being pale.

"Hey Foxy, did Fury take away my status as an agent?" I call to her, honestly not sure what my status was.

"Yes," she answers curtly and I nod.

"Then I am just hired help," I nod, satisfied with my answer but Steve narrows his eyes at me.

"What are you getting paid with?" he asks, slight suspicion and confusion in his eyes.

"Well, as long as I behave, I won't have to go back to my cell," I smirk back. Open wariness is now displayed on his features and I shift my stance so that I'm sitting crisscross in my seat.

"I see…," he trails off and I snicker.

"Gales, Fury wants you as back-up. You are not to engage unless absolutely needed, am I clear?" Romanoff commands and my jaw tenses.

"I thought that back-up was left to the ones that fly the Quinjets," I respond coolly, my eyes boring into her back.

"Am I clear?" she reiterates firmly and I sigh in resignation, turning to Steve forlornly.

"Hey, you should at some point, get into a tight spot so that I can jump in okay?" I suggest casually and he stares at me slack-jawed. I eye him calmly, with my elbow on my knee and my chin in my palm. "Sound like a plan Cap'n?"

"A horrible one," Foxy pipes in.

"Eh, whatever works right?"

"I've sighted him. You might want to head out now Captain, Loki's got hostages," Foxy states suddenly and Cap'n gets up quickly, diving to the ground as soon as he can.

"See ya later Foxy," I throw over my shoulder and I jump down to the ground, rolling to absorb the impact. A bunch of rich civilians are kneeling on the ground, Cap'n standing in front of a German elder. Okay… where's Loki? I get up slowly and see the fallen god with…..reindeer horns on his helmet. Talk about tacky. I glance around and see the clones surrounding the civilians, the ones closest to me smirking at me.

"You know the last time I was in Germany," Cap'n begins, walking closer to the trickster. "And saw a man standing above everyone else, we ended up disagreeing." People start standing up, emboldened by Cap'n, and I narrow my eyes at their stupidity, coiling in preparation. If things start getting physical they'll only get in the way and get hurt.

Loki begins to get up slowly, looking at Cap'n. "The soldier," he says scornfully. He gets up by using a wicked scepter as I crutch and I eye it… it's like a toothpick, for Frost Giants. See, this is what happens when I get a hold of a book on mythology and I'm bored. Corny jokes. "The man out of time."

"I'm not the one who's out of time," Cap'n responds easily and Foxy approaches on the jet, deploying the machine gun threateningly.

"Loki, drop the weapon," her voice filters through the PA system and I roll my eyes. "And stand down." Really? Do they really think it is that easy? Loki raises his scepter easily and fires it at the Quinjet, a blue laser like cluster heading straight towards its objective. Foxy makes the jet swerve violently to avoid it.

The people stare in shock at the spectacle and a low sigh whistles through my lips. "**RUN**!" I bellow helpfully and Cap'n throws his shield at Loki, the people scurrying away frightfully. The people block my view of the pair so I focus on the clones. My vision switches into infrared and I stare at the clones curiously. Their signals are… a different color. A grayish tinged edge is added onto the colors and the colors themselves are dull. Tendrils of red and blue whip out at the two on either side of me, making them disappear in a flash of gray.

The tendrils curl back towards me and I stalk closer to the other clones just as they do the same to me. I crouch down as they get closer and bundle some of the temperature closer to me. Come on, I need to hurry. A ball of blue stirs in my palm and I toss it easily, the ice ball heavy in my palm. My eyes shift over to where I saw the clone coming from and my eyes widen. A scepter swings at me like a club and I jump back, throwing the ice at the clone furiously towards him. It slams into its shoulder and it flickers violently but doesn't disappear. Huh, I guess cold doesn't work.

The temperature changes behind me and I duck to doge it. I hope it's just a punch. The fist sails above my head and the other clone comes closer with its scepter. My eyes narrow as I twist so that I can see both of them. Well….this is interesting. "What to do…," I tut, a small smirk starting to curl up my lips

Make it all the same. The same. Everything. Make it disappear.

Just these clones, I concede. They move closer to me to charge and I collect the temperature in my hand, elongating the bunch into thin whips. Twin flashes of blue light up my vision as the whips of red whistle through the air. I wonder how Cap'n is handling himself.

I turn around just in time to see him roll across the ground. I look up into Loki's eyes and he smirks at me victoriously as he stalks closer to Cap'n. Well, I was hoping for this. Adrenaline courses through me at the prospect of facing someone at least on my level.

_ Cause I shoot to thrill and I'm ready to kill_

What the fucking hell?! The AC/DC song booms through the PA system and something flies closer at high speeds.

_I can't get enough and I can't get my fill_

A metal armor shaped like a man fires a burst of energy at Loki and the man flies back into the lower set of steps. The tin can lands on the ground, his thrusters deactivating as he crouches with a thunk.

_ Cause I shoot to thrill play to kill_

An assortment of weapons appears from various spots at his armor, all of it aimed at reindeer horns. "Overkill much," I mutter, eyeing the whole exchange in boredom and taking out the last clone with a flick of my wrist.

_Play it agaaain _

"Make a move reindeer games," tin can taunts cockily as Cap'n walks next to him with is retrieved shield. I walk closer in curiosity, waiting for reindeer horns to retaliate. This otta be good. I pop my neck in anticipation of the fight. The armor shimmers and dissipates, reindeer horns holding his hands up in surrender. "Good move." I walk up to him and pull him up easily, a frown on my features. I can't call him reindeer horns anymore…. I look at the man and a new nickname pops in my head.

"No fun," I murmur; tutting in disapproval once slick glances over at me condescendingly. It fits, he's the God of Lies and Mischief, besides his hair is slicked back.

"Mr. Stark," Cap'n greets stiffly and I raise my eyebrows. Tin can is Tony Stark? Who would have known the guy would become a hero.

"Captain," tin can responds.

"Yes yes, you guys know each other and can't stand each other. Can you stop acting like a bunch of bitches and get on the jet?" I ask, rolling my eyes at the pair and dragging slick up the ramp before either of them can respond.

"Hey Foxy, did ya miss me?"

A loud sigh answers me. "Great, now I have to deal with both you and Stark."


End file.
